CSA Catapult – which has its Innovation Centre at the compound semiconductor cluster in Newport – and SMD Semiconductor signed an MoU in the House of Commons.
The agreement will see collaborations in chip design and manufacturing for the automotive and space industries in the UK and Sarawak, Malaysia.
SMD Semiconductor is a wholly owned entity of the Sarawak Government established in September 2022 under the Sarawak Research and Development Council Ordinance, 2017.
It focuses is on advanced technological research and development, with an emphasis on chip design and the development of integrated circuit products.
The MoU also signals the intent of SMD to establish an office in the UK to enable the co-creation of ideas and product development, whilst also working with academia, industry and government in the UK and Sarawak to develop a pipeline of talent.
The MoU was exchanged during the AI and Semiconductor Summit held in the House of Commons and was attended by members of the Sarawak government, UK and Welsh governments, SMD Semiconductor and CSA Catapult.
The event was hosted by Stephen Metcalfe MP in collaboration with the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Artificial Intelligence and Big Innovation Centre. A keynote address was given by Minister for Tech and the Digital Economy, Saqib Bhatti MP.
Representatives from the UK and Sarawak discussed opportunities in areas of mutual strategic importance and ways to encourage future collaborations in the development of next-generation semiconductor technology